Regardless of how often and the distance you ride, your electric scooter is bound to get dirty at some point. The dirt could be in the form of grime, grease, or even dust particles. While you could decide to let the electric scooter remain dirty, it is not advisable.
Aside from the fact that dirt impacts the appearance of the electric scooter negatively, it could also influence scooter performance. This is why cleaning your electric scooter is important. So, here we provide ways on how to clean your electric scooter, so you can get it sparkling and performing optimally.
Part 1. 8 Easy Steps on Cleaning Your Electric Scooter
Cleaning electric scooters may appear daunting due to the intricacy involved. However, if you follow the steps below, the electric scooter cleaning process will become much easier. So, without further ado, here are steps on how to clean an e-scooter.
Step 1. Rid the electric scooter of dust particles
The first step to cleaning an electric scooter is removing dust. Aside from being the first step, removing dust also lets you examine your scooter closely for scratches and other damages that affect its appearance. To rid your electric scooter of dust, you would need a dusting rag or cloth. Also, ensure to use a clean, dry cloth. Dusting with a wet cloth could be counterproductive.
Step 2. Protect the Electronic Components of the Scooter from Water
Water tends to damage electronic components or cause them to malfunction. And this is why you should try as much as possible to prevent water from coming in contact with the scooter battery or motor during cleaning.
Step 3. Clean Scooter Body using Both Clean and Soapy Water
You should use lukewarm water for this step, as very hot or cold water could damage your scooter. Also, avoid using soapy water that contains powerful chemicals to clean your scooter as it might damage the paint job.
To clean, it is best to start from the handlebars, lights, fork, and deck. You can skip cleaning the electric scooter wheel and tires during this step.
Step 4. Clean the scooter using a Brush
There are usually a variety of dirt particles on an electric scooter, some easier to remove than others. For stubborn or difficult-to-remove stains, you can use a soft brush to scrub out the stain. Please note that using a hard/tough brush would negatively affect your scooter paint.
Step 5. Clean Scooter Wheels and Tires
Clean these scooter components using soapy water and a soft sponge. For spots on the wheel that are difficult to reach using a sponge, you can extend your reach using a brush.
Step 6. Rinse
If you let soapy water dry on your electric scooter, it would leave marks that could mar the appearance of your scooter. So, it is best to rinse the scooter quickly with clean water after washing it with soapy water.
Step 7. Dry the Electric Scooter
The next step in the cleaning process is drying the electric scooter. To do this, you would need a dry cloth with a high degree of moisture absorption, and you must dry your electric scooter completely. Also, take special care when drying the braking system, as wet brakes equal longer braking distances.
Step 8. Apply Grease to Mobile Joints
Since washing the electric scooter often removes or reduces the quantity of grease present on mobile joints, it is important to apply grease again after washing. Grease helps reduce friction between the moving parts of the joints, ensuring they work optimally.
So, after washing, you can spray Vaseline or use oils like WD-40 to grease your electric scooter's suspensions, braking pads, and other mobile parts. Also, ensure you do not apply too much grease on the brake pads, as excess grease makes them unresponsive.
Part 2. Why Should You Clean Your Electric Scooter?
Asides from a better appearance, a clean scooter performs better than its dirty counterpart. This is because dirt tends to clog scooter joints and other important parts, influencing its performance. Cleaning the scooter would help eliminate these dirt particles, hence improving performance.
Besides, cleaning your electric scooter helps improve its durability because cleaning is a form of maintenance. As you should know, maintenance is one method that guarantees you enjoy your electric scooter for longer.
Also, when you clean, you tend to pay close attention to the different scooter parts and components. With this attention, you get to know which parts are functioning optimally and which aren’t, thus reducing the cost of future repairs. That way, you can repair and replace scooter parts before they become problematic.
So, how often should you wash your scooter? The washing frequency is dependent on the season. For instance, it is best to clean after a few days during the dusty or rainy season, while for other seasons, once every two weeks is ideal.
Part 3. What Cleaning Supplies Do You Prepare?
Having discussed how to clean your electric scooter and why the action is important, let us examine the supplies you need to gather for this task.
- A soft sponge: This supply would work great to help remove dirt from your electric scooter without scratching the paint.
- An old toothbrush or small brush: You can use this to access and wash some hidden places on the scooter. It would also help rid the scooter of tough stains.
- Soaps for vehicles – Not all soap is good for cleaning an electric scooter. Some soaps contain active ingredients that are corrosive and might destroy your scooter paint job. This is why it is best to use the soaps recommended for vehicles.
- A bucket of clean water and a bucket of soapy water – You would need the soapy water bucket to clean the scooter and another clean water bucket to rinse the soapy water.
- A clean towel or two, preferably microfiber towels – This towel would help dry the scooter immediately after washing, eliminating all moisture.
- A lubricant such as WD40, oil, or Vaseline spray – This supply is important as it helps replenish grease removed from the electric scooter’s mobile joints.
Part 4. What Should You Know Before Cleaning?
Washing an electric scooter is an intricate action. The reason is that a lot could go wrong during the process. So, what should you know before cleaning an electric scooter?
When cleaning the handle grips, grips, and controllers, it is best to use a damp microfiber cloth. Also, ensure you wipe these components with a dry cloth immediately after cleaning.
Do not use tough brushes when washing the scooter's body, as a brush like that would damage the paint. Also, avoid spraying lubricants like Vaseline or WD40 oil on electric scooter tires, as they make the tires slippery, which could expose you to an accident
Furthermore, avoid using blow dryers on electric scooters as they could spray water on the battery and other electronic components. They could also cause these components to overheat, consequently leading to part damage.
Cleaning your electric scooter motor when its temperature is high is not advisable, as the rapid change in temperature could affect the motor negatively. Also, waxing textured plastic panels is not ideal, as the wax makes them lose their luster.
Finally, before using water on your electric scooter, it is best to check for its IP rating or Internal Protection Rating. With this rating, it becomes easier to determine the level of resistance your electric scooter has to water and dust particles. However, regardless of the electric scooter's IP rating, it is best to avoid spraying water on the battery and other electronic components, as they might start malfunctioning.
For brands like TurboAnt, all their electric scooters are IP rated. For instance, if you own the TurboAnt X7 Max, with its secure removable battery, you need not worry about spraying water on the scooter's battery. Made from high-quality materials, this e-scooter is both comfort-oriented and easy to maintain. With a top speed of 20 mph and a range of 32 miles, the TurboAnt X7 Max is one of the fast electric scooters for cities in the market today. Also, its 10-inch pneumatic tires guarantee a comfortable ride regardless of the terrain.
- X7 Max Folding Electric Scooter
- Compelling upgrades from X7 Pro, with a battery lock for added security.
- Detachable battery design allows for a fast battery change and convenient charge.
- 20 mph and 32-mile range make commuting effective and fun.
- Easy to be carried into metros and buses during commuting.
- Wide, anti-slip deck provides ample room for a firm, comfortable stance.
- Larger tires absorb shock and unevenness to offer a comfortable riding experience.
Conclusion
Electric scooters make commuting short and long distances easy. They are healthy as they serve as a form of exercise that helps improve posture. Electric scooters, like every other vehicle, get dirty, and cleaning with soapy water and a soft sponge helps eradicate the dirt.
However, checking if your electric scooter has an IP rating before cleaning is important. This rating tells you your scooter’s level of resistance to dust and water. Do you want an electric scooter with good IP ratings so you can find it easier to clean without worrying about water damage? Consider the TurboAnt adult electric scooters, as all their scooter models are IP rated.